BANGKOK, Aug 7: The Thai government has approved a multi-billion-dollar defense procurement plan that includes the purchase of Swedish Gripen fighter jets, two foreign-made frigates, and the finalization of a submarine deal with China, The Nation newspaper reported.
The Swedish fighter jets are intended to replace the American F-16s that have been in service with the Thai air force for 37 years, the report said on Wednesday.
The purchase includes three single-seat SAAB JAS-39 Gripen E aircraft and one two-seat Gripen F, as well as auxiliary systems and electronic warfare equipment, the report read, adding that aircraft will be equipped with modern Meteor air-to-air missiles and other weapons. The total cost of the 12 aircraft is estimated at 60 billion Thai baht (USD1.85 billion), the report said.
The cabinet also approved the purchase of two frigates for the Thai navy at a cost of 35 billion Thai baht, the newspaper reported. The purchase is reportedly part of the navy’s strategic plan to have eight frigates by 2037 to bolster the country’s maritime security in both the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea.
The cabinet also approved amendments to the contract for the purchase of the S26T submarines, changing the engine specifications to the Chinese-made CHD 620 model, the report said. The delivery date has been extended, with the first submarine expected in 2030, several years later than originally planned.
The contract for the diesel submarines was originally signed by Thailand with China’s state-owned China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co., Ltd. in 2017, with the first submarine to be delivered in 2023. However, Germany has refused to supply China with the MTU 396 engines specified in the contract between Thailand and China due to the EU’s ban on strategic equipment supplies to China.
(UNI)
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